Integrating Optimizely and Google Universal Analytics is now possible!

You can now integrate your Optimizely testing with Google’s new universal analytics. All you need is an available Custom Dimension to configure your Optimizely testing and you’re on your way. Your Custom Dimensions are used to tag your visitors with the testings and variations to which they've been added.

So, why is the Google Analytics Intergration so important? Now with the integration we are able to receive more comprehensive data from the testing. Our Director of Planning and Strategy, Eric Hanser states:

“When using Optimizely, we find it essential to use data from analytics to give the most in-depth and complete picture of test results. Unfortunately, this came with certain limitations within Google Analytics, as we were only able to run a maximum of 5 experiments at any given time. Now, with Optimizely's addition of Universal Analytics integration, we are no longer held to such restrictions. While still held by A/B and multivariant best practice in terms of which tests should or should not be running concurrently, we are now able to truly expand our site optimization offering to our clients using Universal Analytics”

Now that you know it’s a big deal, you should also know you can enable the universal analytics in three easy steps thanks to Optimizely:

1). Add the following java script to your site where your current universal analytics code exists:

// Optimizely Universal Analytics Integration window.optimizely = window.optimizely || []; window.optimizely.push ("activateUniversalAnalytics");

2). Enable the Universal Analytics integration in Optimizely after selecting "Analytics Integration" in the Options menu of the editor.

3). Select a "Custom Dimension" you'd like Optimizely to use. But, note that this Custom Dimension can not already be in use on your site.